Researchers have designed a bioactive nanomaterial that promotes the growth of new cartilage in vivo and without the use of expensive growth factors. The therapy is minimally invasive, utilizes bone marrow stem cells and produces natural cartilage. Unlike bone, cartilage does not grow back, and it cannot effectively be replaced. Countless people learn this all too well when they bring their bad knees, shoulders and elbows to an orthopedic surgeon.
Selected by plish
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ScienceDaily: Engineering News
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Growing cartilage: bioactive nanomaterial promotes growth of new cartilage
8 Feb 2010 | 5:00 am -
Second 'quantum logic clock' based on aluminum ion is now world's most precise clock
8 Feb 2010 | 2:00 amPhysicists have built an enhanced version of an experimental atomic clock based on a single aluminum atom that is now the world's most precise clock, more than twice as precise as the previous pacesetter based on a mercury atom. The new aluminum clock would neither gain nor lose one second in about 3.7 billion years. -
NASA, GM take giant leap in robotic technology
7 Feb 2010 | 8:00 amEngineers and scientists from NASA and GM are working together to build a new humanoid robot capable of working side by side with people. Using leading edge control, sensor and vision technologies, future robots could assist astronauts during hazardous space missions and help GM build safer cars and plants. -
Engineers aim to make air travel greener
5 Feb 2010 | 2:00 pmCarbon emissions from air travel could be reduced, thanks to a new collaboration between engineers in the UK and the aerospace industry. The million project will investigate new ways of using composite materials for wing panels in aircraft. The research will be using carbon fibres that are curved within flat plates to produce damage-tolerant, buckle-free structures. -
New material absorbs, conserves oil
5 Feb 2010 | 11:00 amResearchers make new material to clean up oil spills in factories or on the ocean, and conserve the oil.
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Engineering Ethics Blog
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Lessons from Flight 3407: Pay Attention
8 Feb 2010 | 4:26 amLast Tuesday, Feb. 2, the U. S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a synopsis of its final report on the crash of Flight 3407 outside Buffalo, New York a year ago (Feb. 12, 2009, to be exact). All aboard the Colgan Air commuter flight from Newark to Buffalo were killed, as well as one person on the ground, raising the total number of fatalities to fifty. In my initial blog on this crash, I reported that there might have been a problem with the deicing machinery on the plane. But an NTSB hearing last May revealed that evidence had emerged of significant pilot error. At the… -
An Economic Prophecy for Engineers—And Everyone Else
1 Feb 2010 | 4:04 am"When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."—Deuteronomy 18:22"The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."—Proverbs 22:7Without modern economies, engineering would be a shadow of its present self, if it existed at all. Huge capital investments in plant, equipment, and R&D needed for advanced engineering require equally huge, smoothly functioning economies. And anything that… -
Building Codes, Earthquakes, and Haiti
25 Jan 2010 | 4:44 amTwo weeks ago tomorrow, the worst earthquake in two centuries hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The official death toll has exceeded 100,000 and it is likely that millions are homeless and will have to leave the city temporarily or permanently. The survivors have my sympathy and prayers, along with hopes that this terrible tragedy will have a few positive outcomes. One of the best possible outcomes would be a change in the way the city and country are rebuilt.Laws concerned with how buildings are constructed can be traced back to the Code of Hammurabi promulgated around 1800 B. C. Its provisions… -
Should Google Leave China?
18 Jan 2010 | 4:26 amThe government of the People's Republic of China has only nominal regard for freedom of speech. It considers censorship part of its job, and so for years now, any internet service provider or search-engine operator in the PRC has had to agree to restrictions on what kinds of things can be searched for and what kinds of private information the government can get its hands on. U.-S.-based companies such as Yahoo and Google have been criticized for giving in to these conditions in the past, and with some justification. If freedom of speech is worth preserving in the U. S., why should it be… -
Bombs versus Bareness: The Choice for Airline Safety?
11 Jan 2010 | 3:38 amAfter Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab tried to explode his underwear on a Christmas-day flight from Holland to the U. S. last year, a lot of people got a lot more interested in airport security, and understandably so. In particular, more attention has been focused on the so-called "full-body scanners" now in use at a few U. S. airports. The Transportation Security Administration has ordered 150 more and has money for 300 of these devices. According to a report in the Washington Post, if the Dutch airport where Abdulmutallab boarded his plane had been using such a scanner, they would very likely…
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ScienceAlert - Latest Stories
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Back treatment goes too far
8 Feb 2010 | 11:00 pmMost people who see a doctor about back pain get expensive and unnecessary treatment, according to a new study. -
Platypus survives bad habitat
8 Feb 2010 | 11:00 pmResearchers have found that the platypus is toughing out human changes to their habitat – some are even living in outer suburbs. -
Cell lockdown stalls disease
8 Feb 2010 | 11:00 pmResearchers have found a way to discourage cells from migrating around the body, which could fight cancer and autoimmune diseases. -
Bones reveal male moa rarity
7 Feb 2010 | 11:00 pmResearchers have found that most male moas died young, probably because the larger female moas gave them a rough time. -
Obese feel powerless
7 Feb 2010 | 11:00 pmA survey has found that severely obese individuals are aware of the risks of obesity, but feel powerless to change.
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Yanko Design
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Kitsch Styling Bags
9 Feb 2010 | 2:08 amHow you accessorize can change the way you carry yourself dramatically. In an odd way, your office bag is an extension of your personality as well. Sixr, Papr & Papr II are a series of bags that add the right amount of sophistication to your persona and come with amazing variations and colors. Have a look…. The Sixr comes in 2 variations: Camel & Black The Papr comes in 3 variations: Camel, Black, Black AmericanRedCross LimitedEdition The PAPR II shoulder bag comes in 3 variations: Camel, Black, Black AmericanRedCross LimitedEdition Designer: KIMKIM Artifacts [ Buy it Here Sixr |… -
Stackable Bottle
9 Feb 2010 | 1:30 amYou don’t need complex words to best describe an idea; sometimes a simple image can do the trick. What we have here is the 5 Gallons Mineral Water Stackable Bottle. A simple indent at the base of the bottle provides a nestling space for the neck of the bottle below. Stack them up and save space. I love the impromptu flower-vase-by-the-water cooler idea! Designer: Yujin Kim -
Play The Razor Prank
9 Feb 2010 | 1:15 amOne of the pranks that you could play with your friends travelling by air is to slip this pill-sized box into their hand luggage. The pill box actually holds a folded sheet of razor! Yup a disposable razor that neatly rolls up into a pill! Which is obviously not allowed in hand luggage. Convenient, hygienic and safe! Designers: Hoyoung Lee, Youngwoo Park & Seunghwa Jeong -
Get A Jiffy Ride
9 Feb 2010 | 1:00 amSkoota can be the ideal commute for me, to get around the congested by-lanes of my overcrowded city. This compact urban electric scooter transforms from a full-bodied rider to a compact companion in five easy steps. It uses the latest Super Charging Lithium Ion technologies and an in-wheel brushless hub motor to add efficiency. Features include an LED blue halo headlight, simple two button interface, five minute super charging lithium batteries and front calliper/ rotor braking system. In essence, get reduced physical footprint & carbon footprint! Designer: Stuart Emmerson -
One Loud Table
9 Feb 2010 | 12:02 amFrom the creator of Pepper Knuckles and Music Blocks comes this wild and crazy table for your music collection. It’s called “Amusity” and it’s rather full of music and amusement, if I do say so myself. The designer Idan Arbel says that this is a tangible user interface coffee table for your entire music library. Toss it all on there and let the circus begin. You can play music videos, access information on the artist, song, album, etcetera, and using such information control the flow of the songs. Meta data like popularity and genres control the way the music is…
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Curiously Persistent
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Twitter, unlike Facebook, is socially mobile
7 Feb 2010 | 6:47 amThe reciprocity of relationships is, in my opinion, the most fundamental difference between Facebook and Twitter. On Facebook, both sides need to agree before the connection is made. On Twitter, people can follow whoever they like. Does this make Twitter more “social”? I think it might. I’m writing in broad terms, since different people use the services in different ways, but this makes Twitter aspirational. The more socially mobile, to reuse the pun from my title. Facebook is who you know. Twitter is who you want to know. Facebook reinforces social conventions. Twitter does… -
The general public doesn’t need an iPad
31 Jan 2010 | 4:59 amSteve Jobs’ powers of presentation and salesmanship have been well remarked upon. However, one statement in his recent keynote address launching the iPad jarred for me. All of us use laptops and smartphones now Who is this “us”? The people in the audience? The people in Apple’s target market? Because it certainly isn’t everyone. Data from Brandheld indicates 24% of UK mobile phone owners aged 16 or over think they have a smartphone (given our consumer-friendly definition of one), while 59% say that they have a laptop with wireless broadband. 17% say that they… -
The selective truth
24 Jan 2010 | 8:54 amThere are two sides to every coin, but nuance is difficult to convey in a headline or summary. A clear and decisive statement is far likelier to catch the eye. It is important to question the motives of both the source of information and the reporting when making a decision as to the veracity. I’ve noted this during my experiment to alternate my news sources. Similarly, I’ve tracked the early responses to a recent project I’ve worked on with interest. SIDENOTE: The project is Brandheld – an extended study into consumer perceptions of the mobile internet, and both their… -
Bigger isn’t always better
17 Jan 2010 | 11:03 pmAs part of my ongoing Diploma, I have to write several assignments based on the company I work for. This is pretty good in that it means my studying ultimately has some practical benefit. But the reading literature isn’t making it easy. Leaving aside the fact I’m not a marketer (and that Essential doesn’t even have a marketing department), the textbooks all carry the implicit assumption that the reader is working in a large consumer-facing organisation. Which is silly. Obviously a lot of marketing theory surrounding processes becomes redundant in small companies, but that… -
Escaping the echo chamber
3 Jan 2010 | 10:32 pmElizabeth Kolbert’s recent New Yorker article The Things People Say – a review of Cass R. Sunstein’s “On Rumors: How Falsehoods Spread, Why We Believe Them, What Can Be Done“- brought up some fascinating examples of group polarisation. The brief summary is that in the internet age, we are increasingly associating ourselves with likeminded people and opinions. This not only reinforces our original views, but strengthens them – whether through hearing an argument repeated back, feeling vindicated by hearing others in agreement, listening to alternative…
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Technology Review RSS Feeds
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Blog - Google Buzz Aims to Tap Users' Social Networks
9 Feb 2010 | 11:00 amBy tying the tool to Gmail, Google hopes to speed up adoption. Google has revealed its latest foray into the social space: a tool called Google Buzz that integrates with Gmail. -
Blog - Will ARPA-E Receive Funding?
9 Feb 2010 | 9:00 amA congressional committee considers whether to direct money to the new energy agency. A year after it first received funding, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E) got high marks from the congressional committee that spearheaded its creation in its "first annual checkup." In a hearing of the House committee on Science and Technology, the new agency, which is designed to promote the research, development and commercialization off "game-changing" energy technologies, received praise for quickly sorting through 3,700 applications to make 37 awards in its first round of… -
An Early Warning System for Cancer
8 Feb 2010 | 9:00 pmAutoantibodies could alert doctors to cancer development. A new screening tool developed by scientists in Denmark may help detect the earliest stages of cancer by taking advantage of the body's own defenses. The researchers constructed a microarray system that analyzes patients' blood for a specific class of immune agents called autoantibodies. These are agents that attack the body's own tissue, targeting what they perceive as "foreign" cells, such as specific molecules on the surface of tumors. -
Getting a Grip on Online Buzz
8 Feb 2010 | 9:00 pmService tracks social network chitchat about a product. Big-name companies increasingly recognize the importance of discussions about their products on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. But keeping track of so many conversations in real-time is a daunting challenge. -
Micro Solar Cells Handle More Intense Sunlight
8 Feb 2010 | 9:00 pmCells absorb sunlight concentrated 1,000 times without cooling. A startup company hopes to bring down the cost of generating power with concentrated sunlight by using microscale solar cells that can utilize twice as much light as other panels, without the need for expensive optics or cooling systems. Panels made from the tiny cells, which the Durham, NC-based company Semprius developed using a novel microprinting technology, also offer significant savings on materials costs. In late January, the company announced a joint agreement with Siemens to develop demonstration systems based on its…
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Think Differently!!
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Seth Godin's New Killer iPad Application
6 Feb 2010 | 10:59 pmSeth Godin believes he has designed a killer iPad application: a nonlinear multimedia presentation and collaboration application. Well, almost. He has specified what he wants it to do, and has challenged entrepreneurs to go out and build it. Here's his concept overview: "It's a collection of pages (slides, images, type, let's call them pages) that are easy to navigate in a non-linear way. I'd like to be able to write on any of them in real time using my finger. I can also call up, on demand, a calculator or a blank drawing pad. I want to be able to play a presentation the same way some… -
29 Decisions To Make When Building and Operating Your Blog
6 Feb 2010 | 6:15 amProBlogger recently posted an article listing 29 debates within the blogging community - 29 topic areas where there are different schools of thought in the blogging community regarding best practices when starting and running a blog. For anyone starting or operating a blog, this is a great list to see where you and your blog sit on each of the 29 points of discussion. For example: #25 Monetization: Blogs should be Monetized vs Blogs Should Never Be Monetized? #1 RSS Feeds: Full RSS feeds vs Partial RSS feeds? -
Prediction: The New Apple 24" Desktop iPad!
5 Feb 2010 | 4:42 pmI have a prediction for one piece of new Apple technology over the next 2 year period: "following the success of the iPad when the apps come on board, Apple will design and release a desktop sized version of the iPad with around a 20" or 24" screen that is fully touch sensitive as well as mouse operated, and will run all of the existing iPad software apps and distribute all its published content to your desktop as well as running all the existing desktop software applications your 24" or 27" iMac does. Your iPad will be repositioned a lightweight portable version of your desktop, for use in… -
Technology Industry Analysts: The iPad WILL Be A Hit
5 Feb 2010 | 4:30 pmA few posts back I suggested that the iPad will be a hit when 3rd party software developers develop game changing apps for the iPad, and enough distributors content comes online through the iPad.Read Write Web recently posted a round up of technology analysts predictions for the iPad, where the analysts have come to the same conclusions.Amongst other thoughts, the analysts predict thatthe iPad will sell between 1 and 6 million units in FY 2010 and 4 and 9 million in FY 2011the iPad will become a real hit when the iPad apps arrivethe iPad will be a casual gaming device but not a 'serious'… -
Game Changing Software Applications On the iPad?
5 Feb 2010 | 2:55 pmChuck Frey of the Mind Mapping Software Blog has been following developments in the mind mapping software space, including how mind mapping software developers are responding to opportunities around the iPad. One example of the excitement is iPhone mind mapping software developer Craig Scott of iThoughts. Craig suggests mind mapping software on the iPad may be one of the "game changers" we have been looking for. This is what Craig had to say:"Having watched the launch of iPad last week . . . I really do believe that it will be game changing.. . . an iPad specific version of iThoughts . . .
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IRIN
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SOUTH AFRICA: Foreign nationals attacked with "impunity"
JOHANNESBURG , 9 February 2010 (IRIN) - Foreign nationals are being attacked with "impunity" in South Africa, a leading human rights organization charged as the latest service delivery protests turned violent and several hundred residents turned their anger on Ethiopian refugees living in Siyathemba township, about 80km east of Johannesburg. -
HAITI: Funding gap for nutrition
DAKAR, 9 February 2010 (IRIN) - Donors have contributed just 6 percent of the funds sought for post-earthquake nutritional assistance to women and children in Haiti, according to the UN. -
SOMALIA: Community leaders pool together to deliver water to IDPs
NAIROBI, 9 February 2010 (IRIN) - Community leaders in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, are filling the gaps in aid distribution by raising funds to assist thousands displaced by fighting, leaders said. -
ETHIOPIA: Condom creations grace the catwalk
ADDIS ABABA, 9 February 2010 (IRIN) - The whims of fashion collided with some of life's harsher realities when, during a recent fashion show in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, condoms were the fabric of choice on the catwalk. -
MYANMAR: Livelihoods crucial to cyclone recovery
BANGKOK, 9 February 2010 (IRIN) - While thousands of survivors of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar are benefiting from better healthcare and nutrition, complete recovery may be delayed unless livelihoods are restored, warns a survey released on 9 February.
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NPR: Pop Culture
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Watching 'Lost' Later Spoils Some Of The Fun
3 Feb 2010 | 9:00 amLast night, ABC presented the two-hour season premiere of Lost, the mystery-shrouded ABC drama that's beginning its final year. The network was so secretive about the show's contents that it made only the first five minutes available for critics to preview. TV critic David Bianculli reviews the premiere and takes a larger look at the Lost phenomenon.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us -
Expanded Oscar Field Makes Room For Big-Money Movies
2 Feb 2010 | 6:39 amIf nominating 10 films for Best Picture was supposed to mean more of the potential audience had seen more of the movies, it's probably going to work.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us -
'Hurt Locker,' 'Avatar' Lead Oscar Contenders
2 Feb 2010 | 5:49 amThe war-on-terror thriller and the sci-fi sensation received nine Academy Awards nominations each, including best picture and director for Hurt Locker's Kathryn Bigelow and her ex-husband James Cameron.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us -
For 'Lost' Fans In Hawaii, A Premiere With A View
1 Feb 2010 | 10:19 pmThe premiere of the final season of ABC's hit sci-fi drama airs Tuesday, but a few hard-core fans couldn't wait. Thousands headed out to Hawaii this past weekend — where the show is filmed — to watch an advance screening on a giant screen erected on Waikiki Beach.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us -
Is Blond The New Black?
1 Feb 2010 | 1:53 pmMy mother who is Black asked, "You know you're not a white woman, right?" My mother's comments made me cringe. I protested. I told her - I'm proud of who I am — my brown skin, my brown hair, my race. She rolled her eyes.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
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Alternative Medicine Zone
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5 Alternatives To Conventional Medications To Keep Your Blood Pressure In Check
8 Feb 2010 | 7:20 amHere are a few holistic methods to keep one’s blood pressure in check: Eat healthy, keep weight in check: This one is a no bariner that can be recommended for pretty much any ailment! Beat that Stress: Learn relaxation techniques such as Yoga, meditation, massage, music therapy, which could all be useful. Magnet therapy: Copper and iron bracelets have been seen to keep BP in check and there are no known side effects. Chiropractic treatment or Acupuncture: While the former can help restore body balance, the latter can help to ease the strain that is being put on the heart. They are both… -
The Black Tea Protects The Ovaries
8 Feb 2010 | 4:43 amTea, an aromatic healthy drink which is considered to be one of the most popular beverages consumed all over the world, basically prepared from the leaves of a shrub named Camellia sinensis. Tea contains flavonoids, minerals and trace elements that are very essential in promoting overall wellness to human body. There are four major types of teas offering hundred benefits to all different races all over the world namely oolong, green, black and white tea.All of which can be made from the same bushes yet undergo different processes. People can gain a lot of health benefits from drinking tea,… -
Urine Therapy And Medication
5 Feb 2010 | 4:30 amWe have spoken about Urine therapy before and this attracted a considerable amount of interest including some readers who wanted to know more about urine therapy. One of our readers posed a very pertinent question about urine therapy; about whether it was possible to use this therapy in conjunction with or at the same time as taking prescription medications. The short answer to this is that any medication that you may be taking, should be used with caution when one also practices urine therapy, it is generally discouraged. The simple reason for this is that since you are taking in your own… -
6 Odd Ways To Kill A Cold
3 Feb 2010 | 4:40 amWinter comes with snow, wind and a green, gluey leakage. To prevent this leakage, the immune system must be strong and the will to kill it soon must be present. There are proper ways for protection: consuming healthy foods and beverages is probably the most efficient way followed by having certain amount of vitamins and minerals each day. However, there are some extraordinary ways to help people kill the cold, too. The first way is not to blow the nose. It is said that the more blow causes more mucus to run into the sinuses.[sinus infection] Recent researches show that this situation happens… -
Herbal Meds – Don’t Mix Them With Heart Medications
3 Feb 2010 | 2:22 amThere is a valuable shift in popular perception towards alternative medication with more and more physicians using them as a principal or supplementary treatment for a number of disorders and treatments. This brings us closer to natural medication which is free from side effects. However, the entrenchment of western medicine is not to be underestimated and as such it is important not to mix certain herbal medications with a number of main stream medications. Arshad Jahangir, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Consultant Cardiologist, Mayo Clinic Arizona has opined that poplar herbal meds such as…
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Serene Ambition
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Common Cause: Climate Justice
8 Feb 2010 | 9:01 pmBy Rick Fullerton | Bio On my way to a candlelight vigil for climate justice, I wondered who else would show up. It was minus 5 Celsius and with the wind chill it felt like minus 25—bitterly cold by any measure. Hardly a day to be concerned about global warming. Yet some 200 committed souls braved the cold—some on foot, some on bicycles, and others (reluctantly) by car. By the time I arrived, the vigil organizers had thankfully decided to move the event inside. Once out of the cold wind, I was impressed by the strange bedfellows who had come together to express their commitment to the… -
Redesigning the World: Listening to Youth
7 Feb 2010 | 9:01 pmBy Shae HaddenJennifer Correiro, executive director of TakingITGlobal, sent me an update of her activities at Davos last week. As a Young Global Leader, she has been involved in an initiative to bring recommendations from teenagers in over 20 countries to the Global Redesign Initiative of the World Economic Forum. More than 2,000 people between 8 and 25 took part in an online forum or attended one of 30 town hall meetings during the past six months to share their perspective on issues from healthcare and climate change to values and governance. Key suggestions in the report presented on… -
A Woman's Perspective: Why Sex is Better as an Elder
4 Feb 2010 | 9:01 pmBy Elizabeth Brown We’ve already experienced what works and doesn’t work for us regarding sex. And now we know it is about passion, trust and playfulness… -
Celebrating What's Right with the World
3 Feb 2010 | 9:01 pmEnjoy this 23-minute video from world-class photojournalist Dewitt Jones as he asks whether we choose to see possibilities and whether we really believe they're there.Celebrate What's Right With The WorldLazarus! - The Resurrected | MySpace Video -
Clean Energy Week
2 Feb 2010 | 9:01 pmThe National Coalition of Organizations has declared February 1-5, 2010 to be Clean Energy Week, as organizations from across the U.S. hold a variety of events to encourage and support the passage of clean energy and climate policies now pending in Congress. The objective is to engage the Administration and Congress in taking action on the top environmental and economic priorities of the American people: Climate solutions Renewable energyEnergy efficiency. Check out the wide range of activities taking place on Capitol Hill and across Washington, DC to bring attention to the policies needed…
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W5 Blog
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Found Functions
3 Feb 2010 | 9:27 amPhotographer and mathematician Nikki Graziano overlays graphs and their corresponding equations over full color nature photography. This set of engaging compositions reminds us of the elegance and “art” of math, and its essential function as a descriptor of natural phenomena. Click through the image below (and keep clicking) to check out the full “Found Functions” set. Related article on Wired By Nikki Graziano Tagged: aesthetics, arts, data, graph, nature, photography, visualization -
Infographic of the Week
3 Feb 2010 | 8:42 amThere’s an interesting infographic put together by Focus.com that highlights the state of the Internet across a number of different screens. It’s so big that I invite you to go check it out at the source here. Tagged: communications, focus.com, infographic, information, internet, state of the internet, technology -
Maps as Storytelling Tools
29 Jan 2010 | 9:32 amThe ability to annotate maps has brought about a few interesting, creative uses of maps in story telling. Two recent examples I’ve come across include the New York Times map: Walking in Holden’s Footsteps and a map I discovered on McSweeneys’ titled Mr. Plimpton’s Revenge (shown below) that uses the map to tell a story. View Larger Map Both are interesting examples of non-traditional story telling. Tagged: communication, holden caulfield, jd salinger, maps, new york times, social, storytelling -
Diesel: Be Stupid
29 Jan 2010 | 6:18 amI’m not going to wax philosophical about Diesel’s new “Be Stupid” campaign. I’ll let you all decide for yourselves. I’l just say that once you get past the initial, well, stupidity of it all, it’s actually kind of refreshing. Isn’t the proposition being made here essentially what every trendy “lifestyle brand” asks of its consumer – to eschew rational thinking and do what they feel. I mean, there’s no purely logical, rational reason to buy $150 jeans. You buy they because you just want them. For a second opinion,… -
Retro Commercial of the Week – 1/28
28 Jan 2010 | 6:27 amIn light of the iPad announcement, I couldn’t resist looking back at how far we’ve come. Tagged: advertising, computer, iPad, PC, radio shack, retro, retro commercial, tandy
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Mundane Ethnography
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Pot Roast and Happy Pigs
6 Feb 2010 | 2:55 pmI have things to tell you.I just have not been in the mood to think about food politics lately--and I know that I need to finish telling you about meat. Unfortunately, this discussion gets so political, and I want to figure out a way to discuss the issues without sounding like I am standing on my soapbox screaming into the void.So for now, a brief anecdote and......drum roll please........a recipe {gasp!}. Yes, I previously said that I do not write about recipes, and I do not intend this to be a recipe blog, simply because there are so many recipe blogs out there in the bloggosphere. However,… -
Snack Time?? Americans may be shooting themselves in the foot
22 Jan 2010 | 11:07 amphoto from the New York TimesI thought this article in the New York Times was very poignant and interesting.I love snacking just as much as the next person. In fact, I love snacking TOO much. I am prone to eating too many handfuls of pretzels and then feeling a bit bloated come dinner time. I know that I feel my best when I eat three healthy meals a day and don't snack in-between. My food tastes better, and I actually eat less at meals.However, common American nutrition wisdom expounds that snacking is key to staying in control of one's eating. While this may be true for some people (and I… -
Meat Manifesto, Part One: Rational reasons and right
18 Jan 2010 | 8:17 pmIf I were a koala bear, I would not think about what to eat; I would nosh on eucalyptus leaves all day. Unfortunately, we simply cannot pick one food to exist upon. We require many different nutrients from a variety of sources in order to survive. Being omnivorous has its benefits and its drawbacks. Unlike koala bears, our existence does not depend upon one particular species also staying in existence. However, being omnivorous means that we must think about what to eat. Genetic coding does not program our brain to eat only one specific food. We learn from our parents, our grandparents and… -
Winter in Chicago--a photo ethnography
16 Jan 2010 | 8:12 amComing from California, people always ask me how I handle the Chicago winters. My dirty secret is that I love Chicago in the winter. I feel that the true character of Chicago shows its face during the depths of the winter months. Max Weber once likened Chicago to, "a human being with his skin removed." I know that sounds vulgar, but there is something also beautiful about it--about the ugliness and rawness of the image. That is Chicago in the winter--naked, ugly, raw, and yet beautiful and elegant in the way that it carries this ugliness. The city speaks to me in the winter. The clatter,… -
Drink wine. Improve your football performance
14 Jan 2010 | 6:06 amI am still working on the second part of my Meat Manifesto, but in the meantime, I wanted to share this story. Ben is a huge British football fan; he read this story and emailed it me. Personally, I think it is awesome. Roberto Mancini, Manchester City football team’s new Italian coach, is not only changing up his players physical routine, but he is also coaching them at the dinner table. The players’ new diets include Italian classics like pizza and pasta, and every meal will be served with a glass of wine. The coach believes that sipping alcohol at mealtimes (and refraining from…
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Holy Experience
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how to assemble the parts of a life when beginnings end & kids grow up
9 Feb 2010 | 5:29 amHe unwinds the last screw and the crib side panel comes down along with the whole backside of my heart. He disassembles his history, all of ours. Lays the crib sideboard up against the sunny yellow of the bedroom wall. I didn't know if the walls of the house would stand when he took down the last side rail.This was his crib. The one Farmer Husband slept in when his mitt hands were but fisted delicate fingers, the one that carried all nine of his mother's babies through the night dreams, from her firstborn, Eric in 1956 when she was a Dutch immigrant and spoke English in this halting, thick… -
let us not forget...
8 Feb 2010 | 2:07 pm(Consider pausing music in the sidebar or viewing here)If American, consider giving, even a few dollars, here.... and if Canadian, here. We're joining you again, right now.If you are interested in sponsoring a Haitian child: contact Compassion and your name can be put on a list. When Haitian children become available for sponsorship, Compassion will send you a child pack Photos: Share your thoughts?If you would like Holy Experience posts quietly tucked into your reader or your inbox for free... -
What a Day is Always Really Made of...
8 Feb 2010 | 3:59 amWhen we lose the cap to the glue stick like we always inevitably do, I kneel on the floor to check under his grandmother’s table that sits in our study, peer under the legs of the 100 year old chairs.And the cascade of sun falls on the nape of my neck, runs down my back all warm. I say it aloud, a purr of the skin-warmed in February, “Ohhhhhh, I am a cat basking.” I lie right out on the century planks and I don’t give a second thought to a dried out stick of glue. And a beautiful child face leans over the edge of the table and giggles and I look up into laughter at me all stretched… -
weekends are for curling up with books
6 Feb 2010 | 4:48 amIn a quiet week of recuperation, I curled up with words and they curled around me and I wrapped up in rest.What's been on the nightstand:Dancing with My Father: How God Leads Us into a Life of Grace and JoyThe prose has a steady rhythm, yes, like a gentle beat, and these words do make you dance. Sally Clarkson's, Dancing with Father, is the read of a friend, a mentor, sharing her journey to joy, and I found myself returning and lingering over passages, shimmering personal narrative woven throughout the work. Sally, homeschooling mother to four, writes transparently and openly… -
Discovering the One Thing You May Have Long Forgotten About You
5 Feb 2010 | 6:06 amWhen it’s time, I know, I can tell in my bones, the ways the knees ache, those joints with a clock of their own, and I drag my fingers through the hair, back from the temples, and I survey the room of the sprawled out legs, the stacks of books, the balls of yarn, the half deck of Rook scattered, and I smile and chime the hour quiet.“I think it’s time for bed, folks.” They cheer wild. Race for their beds. They know when it’s time too. Time for the day’s best hour, the children’s hour, the moon out the window and night studded up with the stars. I pick up and I return and I lead a…
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Blue Ocean Strategy | Gabor George Burt on Creating Blue Ocean Strategy
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Getting the Blue Ocean strategic sequence right — Step Four
8 Feb 2010 | 12:48 amContinuing in our series which takes a closer look at each step in the Blue Ocean strategic sequence, our focus advances to the fourth step — streamlining and cost innovations. Once featured, each step is made accessible through the Blue Ocean Strategy Basics archive of this site. For the fourth step, we turn to pages 132 — 133 of the book Blue Ocean Strategy (co-authored by Professor W. Chan Kim and Professor Renée Mauborgne):To hit the cost target, companies have three principal levers. The first involves streamlining operations and introducing cost innovations from manufacturing… -
Basking in blue oceans of “intelligent luxury”
4 Feb 2010 | 1:50 amWhat is the common link among all the companies that are successful in creating Blue Oceans? The answer can be distilled down to two words: Lifestyle enrichment. Companies that understand that they are not in the business of selling certain products or services, but rather in the business of delivering lifestyle enrichment to customers, are the ones that prosper. Blue Ocean Strategy helps to instill this perspective, and once it takes root, a company can continue to stay highly relevant to customers, drive lifestyle changes, and continuously create blue oceans.Embracing this way of… -
Defying Conventional Wisdom: Herring Power
3 Feb 2010 | 12:45 amBlue Ocean Strategy is all about challenging conventional wisdom — questioning taken-for-granted assumptions, and overstepping industry boundaries. It’s a frame of mind of continuously questioning and searching for a different angle and fresh perspective. You can draw inspiration from everyday life, and train your mind by having a discerning view of the world around you. Consider the following bit of comic insight, as an example of challenging conventional wisdom.HerringpowerHorsepower seems a logical measure of thrust for machines of land transport. You can visualize “220” horses… -
Getting the Blue Ocean strategic sequence right — Step Three
31 Jan 2010 | 11:38 pmContinuing in our series which takes a closer look at each step in the Blue Ocean strategic sequence, our focus advances to the third step — target costing. Once featured, each step is made accessible through the Blue Ocean Strategy Basics archive of this site. Today, we turn to pages 131 — 133 of the book Blue Ocean Strategy (co-authored by Professor W. Chan Kim and Professor Renée Mauborgne):Target costing, the next step in the strategic sequence, addresses the profit side of the business model. To maximize the profit potential of a blue ocean idea, a company should start with the… -
SAS takes first place
28 Jan 2010 | 1:38 amWe’d like to take a moment to congratulate our friends at SAS for being awarded the prestigious title of the ‘Best Company To Work For’ by Forbes Magazine. Given our association with SAS, via Gabor’s address at the company’s Global Forum in 2007, and his contribution to the recently-published Radical Action for Radical Times by Jonathan Hornby, SAS’ Director of Worldwide Marketing, we applaud the recognition. And given CEO Jim Goodnight’s focus to make sure his “chief assets” come to work cheerfully every day, it seems very well-deserved. What is SAS doing to receive…
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The Bonsai Blog of Hans van Meer
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‘T IS NOT MUTCH…BUT IT’S A START!
8 Feb 2010 | 10:26 amHy everybody, here is a update on how I am doing. Well to be honest, still not so good! Things have not gotten any better for me and there is still not much I can do. My visit to the Noelanders did proof to be to much to soon and did me more harm than good. I dont even remember much of that short visit and I am ashamed that I mist out on saying hallo to so many of my Bonsai friends that I know that were there! To all those people, forgive me, I was not on my best that day! And I will CU and meet you for sure on a later date!!! But even though my physical condition is still not to good, I did… -
HANAMI II
8 Feb 2010 | 6:44 amHi everybody, I am realy excited to be a part off this second edition of HANAMI II, that will be held on 22-05-2010 at Teunis Jan Klein’s DESHIMA Bonsai Studio in Nieuwekerk aan de ijssel in Holland. Teunis Jan and me will be leading this one (long) day event that will start in the morning with a lecture on Japanese aesthetics by Teunis, meanwhile in the other part of the greenhouse I will be doing a tree critique of the trees that are brought in by the students. Off course their will be lunch! And after this, both Teunis and me will start with the actualy workshop that will last… -
NOELANDERS TROPHY XI.
23 Jan 2010 | 12:58 pmHi everybody, here is a small impression of my quick visit to the Noelanders Trophy 2010 in Belgium. The entrance to the exhibition. ABSOLUT WORLDCLAS!!! WOW!!! AMAZING SHOHIN!!! THE BARK ON TONY’S HAWTHORN. OLD TREEBEART, LEANING ON HIS… -
THANK YOU GUY’S!
16 Jan 2010 | 9:58 amHi everybody, first of all I would like to thank you all for your warm replies and well wishes, believe me, it is highly appreciated! But dont worry, I’m not going anywhere and I am still far from cutting off my own ear….yet! :) And I have to say that I am feeling a bit better at this moment in time and I have come to grips a bit more with the situation I am now! If things stay like this I might even be able to make a quick visit to the Noelanders trophy next weekend. It is the first time in 8 years that I am not in that show with one or two of my own trees, but it will… -
A BIRTHDAY AND A RATHER SAD ANNIVERSARY.
6 Jan 2010 | 4:22 amHi everybody, First of all I would like to wish for you all : A very Happy New Year!!!! On the 3Th of this January I celebrated my 49 birthday, well celebrated…more wend trough. No party or visitors, just laying on the sofa watching TV, just like I have been doing for the last months now! And, as my surgeon told me, I have to lay and wait at least a other 6 weeks and hope and pray that things will get any better during that time. He, like me, is very surprised and disappointed that my surgery is goosing me so much more trouble and pain, instead of relieving or healing the…
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Bonsai Bark Bonsai Blog
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Azalea Tips #3: A Little Timely Trimming
9 Feb 2010 | 9:17 amAzalea flowers from the cover of Satsuki Azaleas for Bonsai & Azalea Entusiasts. Satsuki shears are used to shape azaleas after the spring bloom and before the new buds set in the late summer/early fall. Not only does this technique keep azaleas in shape, it can also increase next years flower crop (be careful though, sometimes too many flowers can stress a bonsai – see below). All three drawings in this post are from Bonsai Today issue 1. Thinning overly vigorous and dense growth. This helps open up the tree and forces energy into weaker zones. In this illustration the thinning is… -
We Have a Winner!
8 Feb 2010 | 9:07 amFerry Freriks’ stout-trunked little Honeysuckle takes the grand prize in a down to the wire contest for a $100 gift certificate from Stone Lantern. Congrats Ferry! Oh so close Altogether 41 people (including me) submitted their choices. The total count for the first three finishers (see below for photos of the other two) were: Ferry’s Honeysuckle 84. John Romano’s Erodium 80. Brian and Jill’s (no last name) Serissa 80. Next time When I started this contest it didn’t occur that it would be so close. Next time I’ll divide the prize among the first three… -
Masters’ Bonsai Gallery: Let’s Rock!
7 Feb 2010 | 7:47 amThis group of Needle junipers on a large rock by Norboru Kaneko won first prize at Sakufu-ten #12. It originally appeared in Bonsai Today issue 24 (long out of print). It also appears in our Bonsai Today Masters’ Series Juniper book (still in print). Root-on-rock vs root-over-rock The bonsai shown in this post are all root-on-rock, which means that the roots are growing in soil that is in pockets in the rock. Root-over-rock is where the rock sits in soil in a pot and the roots are trained to grow down over the rock and into the soil. We’ll do a post on these later. Here’s… -
National Bonsai Foundation 2010 Calendar
6 Feb 2010 | 3:00 pmThis massive white pine was donated to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum by Daizo Iwasaki. Though I’ve never met him, I have long admired Mr. Iwasaki’s dedication to promoting the art of bonsai. Few people in our world bonsai community rival Mr. Iwasaki’s tireless energy, boundless generosity and devotion when it comes to bonsai. This tree is just one of many world class bonsai that he has donated to our National Bonsai and Penjin Museum. BTW: did you notice how the enormous base of the trunk nearly fills the whole pot? 2010: A good year for bonsai and related arts… -
You Be the Judge: Only Two More Days
6 Feb 2010 | 5:44 amVote Now and Get a Free $5.00 Gift Certificate It’s so easy, but don’t wait, tomorrow (Sunday Feb 7) is your last day to vote. (For how to vote, check our post entitled You Be the Judge (& We’ll Grease Your Palm) from Feb 2nd. And BTW We’ve got a Site Wide Sale (10% to 40% off everything) over on Stone Lantern.
